DETAILED ACTION
Status
1. This Office Action is responsive to claims filed for Application No. 19115117 on March 25, 2025. Please note claims 1-19 are pending and have been examined.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
4. The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
5. Claims 1, 3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahata (US 20220128859 A1) in view of An et al. (US 20200257158 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Takahata discloses: A virtual image display device (see Fig. 1, [0041], display system 100), comprising:
a backlight including a plurality of light emitters and a light-emitting surface configured to emit light from the plurality of light emitters (see Fig. 1, Fig. 11A, [0093], discloses the backlight 102 includes plurality of light emitting elements that emit light to the display panel 104 through the light emitting surface);
a display panel including a display surface configured to display an image with light emitted from the light-emitting surface (see Fig. 1, Fig.11A, [0093]-[0094], display panel 104);
an optical system (see Fig. 1, reflective panel 106, magnifying mirror 108 and windshield 202) configured to enlarge an image of the display surface and an image of the light-emitting surface by different enlargement factors to form a virtual image in a field of view of a user (see Fig. 1, [0040]-[0043], discloses the optical system that project/reflects the image formed by display panel 104 and backlight 102 to the windshield 202 to form the enlarged virtual image 204 to the field of view of a user 200. Examiner notes that magnification power applied by the concave mirror 108 varies depending on the image/object distance from the surface of concave mirror 108. The magnification power of the concave mirror 108 with respect to the display surface of the display panel 104 is clearly different from the magnification power with respect to the light source surface of the backlight 102 when the display panel 104 is inclined with an angle with the backlight 102); and
a backlight controller (see Fig. 7, backlight control unit 124) configured to perform local dimming control by switching each of the plurality of light emitters between an emissive state and a non-emissive state based on the image displayed on the display panel (see Fig. 7, Fig. 8, [0081], discloses backlight control unit 124 outputs signal to control the on and off function of the backlight 102, to control the partial drive, and to control the light intensity when the backlight is turned on. Also see Figs. 11-13, [0093]-[0096], discloses the when the display panel 104 displays the image in one region (the image display region 105) of the display part, the backlight 102 is driven so that the light emitting regions (L6, L7) corresponding to the image display region 105 emit light and the other regions do not emit light),
Takahata does not explicitly teach wherein the light-emitting surface is smaller than the display surface.
However, in the same field of endeavor of the display device having backlight arranged on the back side of the display panel, An teaches wherein the light-emitting surface is smaller than the display surface (see Fig. 1, [0043], discloses the backlight unit 130 is provided such that a width thereof in a vertical and horizontal directions is smaller than that of the display panel 110 in the vertical and horizontal directions).
Therefore, in view of teachings of Takahata and An, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the display device as taught by Takahata with An’s teachings of the light-emitting surface is smaller than the display surface as a known alternative design for reducing the size of the backlight thereby making the display device lighter, more portable and or more efficient.
Regarding claim 3 (Currently Amended), Takahata in view of An teaches the limitations of parent claim 1. Takahata further teaches wherein the optical system includes a plurality of reflectors (see Fig. 1, reflective panel 106, magnifying mirror 108 and windshield 202),
a first reflector of the plurality of reflectors reflects the image of the display surface and the image of the light-emitting surface toward a second reflector of the plurality of reflectors (see Fig. 1, [0037]-[0038], reflective panel 106), and
the second reflector reflects the image of the display surface and the image of the light-emitting surface toward the field of view of the user (see Fig. 1, magnifying mirror 108 reflects the image formed by display panel 104 and the image of the light-emitting surface of the backlight 102 toward the field of view of the user 200).
Regarding claim 5 (Original), Takahata in view of An teaches the limitations of parent claim 3. Takahata further teaches: A movable body (see Fig. 1), comprising: the virtual image display device according to claim 3 (see rejection of claim 3 above); and a windshield configured to reflect the image light reflected by the first reflector toward an eye of the user (see Fig. 1, [0041], windshield 202).
Reasons for Allowance
6. Claims 2, 4 and 6-19 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement for reasons for allowance, after thorough updated search and consideration:
Regarding claim 2, the closest prior art Takahata (US 20220128859 A1) discloses: A virtual image display device (see Fig. 1, [0041], display system 100), comprising:
a backlight including a plurality of light emitters and a light-emitting surface configured to emit light from the plurality of light emitters (see Fig. 1, Fig. 11A, [0093], discloses the backlight 102 includes plurality of light emitting elements that emit light to the display panel 104 through the light emitting surface);
a display panel including a display surface configured to display an image with light emitted from the light-emitting surface (see Fig. 1, Fig.11A, [0093]-[0094], display panel 104);
an optical system configured to enlarge an image of the display surface and an image of the light-emitting surface by different enlargement factors to form a virtual image in a field of view of a user (see Fig. 1, [0040]-[0043], discloses the optical system that project/reflects the image formed by display panel 104 to the windshield 202 to form the enlarged virtual image 204 to the field of view of a user 200); and
a backlight controller (see Fig. 7, backlight control unit 124), the backlight controller being configured to perform local dimming control by switching a light emitter corresponding to the selected area among the plurality of light emitters between an emissive state and a non-emissive state based on the image displayed on the display surface area (see Fig. 7, Fig. 8, [0081], discloses backlight control unit 124 outputs signal to control the on and off function of the backlight 102, to control the partial drive, and to control the light intensity when the backlight is turned on. Also see Figs. 11-13, [0093]-[0096], discloses the when the display panel 104 displays the image in one region (the image display region 105) of the display part, the backlight 102 is driven so that the light emitting regions (L6, L7) corresponding to the image display region 105 emit light and the other regions do not emit light).
Akiba (US 20230274712 A1) discloses a circuit device used in a display device of a head-up display that performs image projection using display image data and a light source. The circuit device includes: a dimming control circuit configured to perform dimming control of the light source based on image data; a color correction circuit configured to perform color correction on the image data in accordance with a result of the dimming control to output the display image data; and a blinding error detection circuit configured to perform a blinding error detection process of the head-up display in accordance with the display image data and the result of the dimming control (see Abstract, Figs. 4, 10 and 14).
Kitada (US 20120154466 A1) discloses a display control apparatus includes a display control unit configured to display a predetermined object image on a display unit, and a light emission control unit configured to independently control light emission of a plurality of light emitting units corresponding to a plurality of division areas prepared by dividing the display unit, wherein, when a display area of the object image on the display unit is changed, the light emission control unit controls a plurality of division light emitting units other than the plurality of division light emitting units corresponding to the display area of the object image to emit light at a similar luminance to the luminance of the plurality of division light emitting units corresponding to the display area of the object image (see abstract, Figs. 1-3 and corresponding descriptions).
Hayakawa (JP2020112667A, provided in IDS) discloses general teachings of a head-up display system in a vehicle in which image formed in liquid crystal display is projected to windshield of the vehicle to form a virtual image, and the backlight is provided with a controller that performs local dimming by controlling turning on and turning off of a plurality of light-emitting units in accordance with a display image (see Figs. 1-8 and corresponding descriptions).
However, none of the prior art whether considered alone or in combination, fail to disclose the technical features of a backlight controller configured to select, in the light-emitting surface, an area to be formed as a virtual image having a same size as the image of the display surface in the field of view of the user, in the context of detailed structure and driving method of display device for reducing the parallax between a display virtual image and a virtual image of the backlight, thereby improving the deteriorating the viewability of the display virtual image viewed by the user, as a whole, in the manner claimed is not sufficiently taught or suggested in the prior art.
Regarding claim 6, the closest prior art Takahata discloses: A virtual image display device (see Fig. 1, [0041], display system 100), comprising:
a backlight including a plurality of light emitters and a light-emitting surface configured to emit light from the plurality of light emitters (see Fig. 1, Fig. 11A, [0093], discloses the backlight 102 includes plurality of light emitting elements that emit light to the display panel 104 through the light emitting surface);
a display panel including a display surface configured to display an image with light emitted from the light-emitting surface (see Fig. 1, Fig.11A, [0093]-[0094], display panel 104);
an optical system configured to enlarge an image of the display surface and an image of the light-emitting surface by different enlargement factors to form a virtual image in a field of view of a user (see Fig. 1, [0040]-[0043], discloses the optical system that project/reflects the image formed by display panel 104 to the windshield 202 to form the enlarged virtual image 204 to the field of view of a user 200); and
a backlight controller (see Fig. 7, backlight control unit 124) perform local dimming control by switching each of the plurality of light emitters between an emissive state and a non-emissive state based on the second image (see Fig. 7, Fig. 8, [0081], discloses backlight control unit 124 outputs signal to control the on and off function of the backlight 102, to control the partial drive, and to control the light intensity when the backlight is turned on. Also see Figs. 11-13, [0093]-[0096], discloses the when the display panel 104 displays the image in one region (the image display region 105) of the display part, the backlight 102 is driven so that the light emitting regions (L6, L7) corresponding to the image display region 105 emit light and the other regions do not emit light).
However, none of the prior art whether considered alone or in combination, fail to disclose the technical features of a backlight controller configured to generate a second image by deforming a first image to be displayed on the display panel based on the enlargement factors by which the optical system enlarges the image of the display surface and the image of the light-emitting surface, in the context of detailed structure and driving method of display device for reducing the parallax between a display virtual image and a virtual image of the backlight, thereby improving the deteriorating the viewability of the display virtual image viewed by the user, as a whole, in the manner claimed is not sufficiently taught or suggested in the prior art.
Regarding claims 8 and 14: independent claims 8 and 14 each recites the similar limitations as in claims 6, and therefore allowable for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 7, the closest prior art Takahata discloses: A virtual image display device (see Fig. 1, [0041], display system 100), comprising:
a backlight including a plurality of light emitters and a light-emitting surface configured to emit light from the plurality of light emitters (see Fig. 1, Fig. 11A, [0093], discloses the backlight 102 includes plurality of light emitting elements that emit light to the display panel 104 through the light emitting surface);
a display panel including a display surface configured to display an image with light emitted from the light-emitting surface (see Fig. 1, Fig.11A, [0093]-[0094], display panel 104);
an optical system configured to enlarge an image of the display surface and an image of the light-emitting surface by different enlargement factors to form a virtual image in a field of view of a user (see Fig. 1, [0040]-[0043], discloses the optical system that project/reflects the image formed by display panel 104 to the windshield 202 to form the enlarged virtual image 204 to the field of view of a user 200); and
a backlight controller (see Fig. 7, backlight control unit 124) configured to perform local dimming control by switching each of the plurality of light emitters between an emissive state and a non-emissive state based on the first image (see Fig. 7, Fig. 8, [0081], discloses backlight control unit 124 outputs signal to control the on and off function of the backlight 102, to control the partial drive, and to control the light intensity when the backlight is turned on. Also see Figs. 11-13, [0093]-[0096], discloses the when the display panel 104 displays the image in one region (the image display region 105) of the display part, the backlight 102 is driven so that the light emitting regions (L6, L7) corresponding to the image display region 105 emit light and the other regions do not emit light).
However, none of the prior art whether considered alone or in combination, fail to disclose the technical features of a backlight controller configured to generate a second image to be displayed on the display panel by deforming a first image based on the enlargement factors by which the optical system enlarges the image of the display surface and the image of the light-emitting surface, in the context of detailed structure and driving method of display device for reducing the parallax between a display virtual image and a virtual image of the backlight, thereby improving the deteriorating the viewability of the display virtual image viewed by the user, as a whole, in the manner claimed is not sufficiently taught or suggested in the prior art.
Regarding claims 10 and 16: independent claims 10 and 16 each recites the similar limitations as in claims 7, and therefore allowable for the same reasons.
Dependent claims are allowed based on their claim dependency.
Conclusion
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRISHNA P. NEUPANE whose telephone number is (571)270-7291. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 8:30am-5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, BENJAMIN C. LEE can be reached on (571) 272-2963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KRISHNA P NEUPANE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629